The Tiny Beast - OrcaTorch Dive Light D820V Review

by Jun V Lao

review articles


Let's go straight to the point here. There are really just two things people want to know from a reviewer of a gadget after testing it and they are. 1. Will you wholeheartedly recommend it to friends... and 2. having used the OrcaTorch D820V over the weekend in Moalboal Cebu, I am definitely sold on it plus yes, it may be the next best torchlight you will buy and here are the reasons why...


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When I first unboxed the D820V, I went hmmmmm, the light is tiny, it might be great for tourist divers, probably another dive light with a strong but narrow beam (Dive shop rental lights in mind) but once turning it on and fiddling with it for half an hour, I knew this was a serious torchlight which can benefit technical divers and underwater photographers/videographers from beginner to serious enthusiast level.


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As a diver quite serious in above average quality underwater imaging, my first concerns beyond how strong the light is if the light emitted from the torch produced an undesirable "hotspot" and wanted the beam to be wide enough so you get a more comprehensive view when diving caverns, caves or wrecks. It was a pleasant surprise how such a tiny torchlight produced a powerful yet wide beam of light, plus no "hotspot".


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The D820V is rated at 1600 lumens with a 120-degree beam and upon testing, it looks as if it even exceeded how wide it was rated. Below is a quick video taking the light down at the Cathedral at Pescador Island, where not only was it subjected to bad visibility and murky green water, it pleasingly cut through the unsettled water like a champ. Below is an actual video for the D820V in action which performed very well despite the unfavorable turbid conditions brought about by thehabagatseason.


Beyond having the main light which throws a powerful yet pleasing beam, the D820V also has two other premium features for serious photographer enthusiasts which are 1. having a red light for shy subjects and 2. a UV light for black light underwater applications. Having both features housed in a tiny package makes this tiny beast a one-stop underwater lighting solution for any diver.


Tech divers will be pleased to know that the dive light is rated at 150 meters and the battery chamber is sealed by double O-rings, ensuring the D820V can survive pressures beyond 5 atmospheres.


The D820V charging is done via a USB port which further reduces excess baggage and fear of losing the "Proprietary" charger is a thing of the past. The D820V is an example how led technology has gone so advanced in recent years and it's quite nice that OrcaTorch was able to build something so compact yet can still emit powerful and desirable light.


Finally, the D820V houses a 5,000 mah battery. During our test, the torchlight lasted two full dives (close to 50 minutes each) at full power and half of the third dive prompted me to switch to half power. This is quite a delight as most torches in the market last only one dive at full power.


Again, if asked if I will get the OrcaTorch D820V, I already ordered two pls with the reasons stated above, OrcaTorch has certainly delivered an all-around winning torchlight here in a small yet powerful package.



Spec sheet Summary

1600 lumens - Yes

Depth rating to 150 meters - Yes

Red light - Yes

UV light - Yes

USB Charging - Yes

Premium Chassis - Yes

Battery - 5,000 mah - Yes

SRP upon writing: USD 259


Reviewer: Jun V Lao from paparazsea.com